Blue Cheese and spinach pasta with toasted walnuts

Not the healthiest recipes but it is one of my favourite to indulge in.  

I prefer to cook this with fettuccini, though any pasta will do. If you really want to impress your friends, stuff the blue cheese mixture into Conchiglioni pasta shells

Ingredients

(for serving 4 people)

• 100g of walnuts pieces, coarsely chopped
• 200g of spinach leaves (frozen spinach is good for this recipe, make sure you defrost and squeeze out excess water)
• 150g of blue veined cheese or similar, crumbled
• 300ml of creme fraiche (I love Philadelphia Cooking Cream Cheese)
• 150g of pasta (such as penne pasta quills)
• Salt and pepper for season, plus garlic flakes for garlic lovers

 

Method

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a frying pan and dry fry the walnuts for 1 minute, or until lightly toasted. Remove and set aside.
3. Thoroughly mix in the creme fraiche/cream cheese, blue cheese and walnuts, season to taste with salt and pepper. If using frozen spinach, once defrosted and drained, add to this mixture.
4. Drain the pasta, reserving 4 tbsp water. Return the pasta and reserved cooking water to the pan and add the spinach. Cover and return to a low heat until the leaves begin to wilt.
5. Add in the blue cheese mix and mix thoroughly.
6. Serve